Foliar Feeding

What is foliar feeding?

Foliage feeding is a way of feeding plants by applying liquefied fertilizer directly onto the plants leaves.

You see… plants absorb water, nutrients and CO2 through openings on the leaves. These openings are called stomata. In addition to absorbing CO2, the stomata also release oxygen.

Is Foliar feeding efficient?

YES. Foliar feeding is a very efficient way to provide a plant with nutrients because instead of making the plant pull nutrients from the soil it is absorbed directly into the plant canopy.

When is the best time for foliage feeding?

This should be done in the morning or evening if you are growing outdoors. If you are an indoor grower, it is best to foliar feed when the lights are just about to come on – OR once they have just turned on – in order to allow able time for the leaves to dry. Make sure that you DO NOT spray the mixture onto the lights as water on a hot bulb can cause an explosion.

How often should I foliar feed?

At the most, foliar feeding should be done about once a week. Foliar feeding more often than that can cause over fertilization.

It is OK to foliar feed in the vegetative cycle and early in the flowering cycle. It is important to stop foliar feeding your plants at least three weeks prior to the harvest. This is don’t in order to ensure that no nutrient residue remains on the leave or buds when it comes time to crop.

How should I begin foliar feeding?

Start by mixing up your desired nutrient solution and spraying it onto a few healthy leaves. If there is no damage to the sprayed leaves after two days, your solution is good. Alternatively, if the leaves are curled or look unhealthy after two days, take your mix and dilute it by 50%. Then go and retest your solution on just a few leaves.

How will I know if the leaves are absorbing the nutrients?

Prior to applying the liquid nutrient, squeeze some liquid from the juice of the plant and test it with a refractometer. Then, do the same test after foliar feeding. If the amount of light refracted significantly rises from the first test to the second one – your foliage feeding has worked.

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